• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
New!Get Your 6-Week Real Food Meal Plan + Grocery List
  • New? Start here!
  • About
  • Shop
  • Contact

The Real Food Dietitians

Eat well. Live well. Be well.

  • Free Meal Plans
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Meal
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch & Dinner
      • Snacks
      • Salads & Sides
      • Soups & Chilis
      • Appetizers
      • Drinks & Smoothies
      • Desserts
      • Condiments
    • Diet
      • Whole30
      • Gluten-free
      • Grain-Free
      • Dairy-Free
      • Paleo
      • Egg-Free
      • Nut-free
      • Vegetarian
      • Vegan
    • Method
      • Instant Pot
      • Slow Cooker
      • Grill
      • Stovetop
      • Oven
      • Blender
      • Air Fryer
      • Smoker
      • No-Bake
      • Meal Prep
    • Protein
      • Chicken
      • Turkey
      • Beef
      • Pork
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Eggs
      • Meatless
    • Filter Recipes
  • Wellness
    • What is Real Food?
    • Free Meal Plans
    • Wellness
  • Recipe eBooks
  • Stay Updated On New Posts
    RFD

    Stay updated on our latest posts and more!

  • Breakfasts
  • Main Entrees
  • Meal Prep
  • Deals & Discounts
  • Meal Plans
  • Ask The Dietitians
Home Blog

Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies (Nut-free)

GF Gluten-free NF Nut-free GR Grain-Free VG Vegetarian DF Dairy-Free P Paleo
25 mins
4.5 /5
13 Comments
Jump to Recipe
Stacie Hassing
By: Stacie Hassing Updated: 8/16/21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

A soft & scrumptious cookie with a pop of tartness, Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies are a delightful treat and perfect for when you’re craving a little something sweet.

Photo of a stack of five Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies drizzled with a glaze.

Get ready to sink your teeth into a perfectly soft, lemon-y, poppy seed cookie!

These soft Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies are the real deal! I love the tartness from the lemon juice and zest, paired with subtle sweetness from the maple sugar (my new favorite refined sugar-free baking sugar) and the texture thanks to the poppy seeds that are evenly speckled amongst each cookie. Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies make for the perfect little treat whether it be at home with a cup of tea or coffee and good book, with a friend or special someone, or they’re perfect for serving at a special gathering such as a bridal shower, birthday party, baby shower or lunch or brunch with loved ones. I plan to package them up and include them as part of a Mother’s Day gift for my sweet Grandma BK and my mother so they can enjoy them, too. Besides, who doesn’t love getting homemade treats as a gift?! So much love goes into them.

Overhead shot of the Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies single layered on a white marble cheese board and drizzled with a glaze and sprinkled with lemon zest.

Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies are made without almond flour or coconut flour.

Most paleo baked goods tend to be made with almond flour or coconut flour or a combo of both. With these cookies, I used cassava flour to make them 100% nut-free and give them that soft and scrumptious cookie texture. Over the past few years that we have been blogging and sharing recipes, we have sporadically received requests asking for grain-free baked good recipes that are made without almond flour or coconut flour. Whether it be an allergy, sensitivity or a food preference. As we have mentioned before, it’s our mission to share recipes for all to enjoy. So recently Jess and I started experimenting with cassava flour and testing recipes to share with you. If you missed Jess’s go-to grain-free tortillas made with cassava flour you can find those here.

Photo of Bob's Red Mill Cassava Flour - an ingredient in the Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies.

Bob’s Red Mill is the Cassava Flour used in these cookies. 

So what is cassava flour?

Cassava flour is a paleo-friendly, grain-free and nut-free. It’s made from the whole root of the cassava plant and thanks to its neutral flavor and fine, light texture, it makes an excellent choice for both sweet and savory baked goods. You can also use when making bread and tortillas, or as a coating for meat and seafood, and to replace breadcrumbs in meatballs and veggie burgers. In addition it’s Non-GMO verified!

Photo of the lemon glaze that will be drizzled on the Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies.

Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies are sweetened with maple sugar and drizzled with a lemon-y glaze.

As I mentioned above, maple sugar has become one of my go-to refined-sugar free sugars to bake with. I love the flavor profile and the subtle sweetness it provides. Now I will say, it is a bit on the pricy side so I do provide substitution options in the recipe below. I’ve also made these cookies with coconut sugar and that works great, too. In addition to the sweetness from the maple sugar, these cookies are also drizzled with a simple lemon glaze. While the glaze is totally optional, it sure adds a lovely decadent touch. If adding the lemon glaze, I do recommend that the cookies are completely cooled before drizzling. Also, I have found that these cookies taste best after being refrigerated.

A soft & scrumptious cookie with a pop of tartness, Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies are a delightful treat and perfect for when you're craving a little something sweet. #nutfree #grainfree @bobsredmill Share on X
Photo of a stack of five Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies drizzled with a glaze.

Grab a friend and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.

It’s time to invite a friend over, your neighbor or that special someone who you’re long overdue on catching up with! Whip up a batch of these soft and scrumptious Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies, serve with a cup of tea or coffee and let the conversations roll. Enjoy!

If you’re looking for a lemon-y treat that’s made with a gluten-free flour instead of cassava flour, I recommend giving our Gluten-Free Lemon Shortbread Cookies a try! For something totally different, our No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake also makes for an ever-so tasty dessert.

Photo of a stack of five Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies drizzled with a glaze. The top cookie has a perfect bite out of it.

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!

Loading
Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Recipe
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 2 reviews

Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies (Nut-free)

Prep: 15 minutesCook: 10 minutesTotal: 25 minutes
Pin for Later Rate recipe
  • Email Recipe
Print Recipe
Servings: 20 small cookies 1x

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, softened (may substitute unsalted butter) 
  • 2/3 cup maple sugar (may sub coconut sugar or organic cane sugar)
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk (canned or carton)
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (such as Simply Organic) 
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • 1 1/3 cup cassava flour 
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt 
  • 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds (such as Simply Organic)
  • Optional sliced almonds for topping (omit for nut-free)

Optional Lemon Glaze:

  • 3/4 cup organic powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tsp. coconut milk (canned or carton) 
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. lemon zest
  • ¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract (such as Simply Organic) 

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Using a stand or hand mixer, begin whipping together the coconut oil with the sugar and milk. Gradually increase speed to high and whip for about 2 minutes. Once the mixture is well combined (it will be a little chunky), turn mixer to lowest setting and add in the egg, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest and mix the batter together. Turn up the speed a bit and continue to mix until combined. 
  3. With the mixer off, add the dry ingredients including cassava flour, baking soda, sea salt and poppy seeds to the bowl and begin mixing the wet and dry ingredients together on low. 
  4. Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, scoop each cookie onto a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart (they will not spread much). Gently press the top of each cookie to flatten.
  5. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges of cookies are slightly golden brown.
  6. Let the cookies cool completely. They will be delicate when hot. 
  7. To make the optional glaze: In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and coconut milk (start with 2 tsp.) and stir well. Then add in the lemon juice, zest and vanilla and continue to stir until nice and smooth. Add additional powdered sugar if too runny (1 Tbsp. at a time) or additional coconut milk if it’s too thick (1 tsp. at a time).
  8. Once cookies are completely cooled, drizzle with optional glaze and top with lemon zest and sliced almonds.

Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive so we can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.

Notes

These cookies are best stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Nutrition Information

  • Serving Size: 1 cooking with glaze
  • Calories: 120
  • Fat: 6 g
  • Sodium: 125 mg
  • Carbohydrate: 15 g
  • (Fiber: 1 g
  • Sugar: 8 g)
  • Protein: 0 g

Dietary

Dairy-FreeGluten-freeGrain-FreeNut-freePaleoVegetarian
© The Real Food Dietitians
Recipe By: Stacie Hassing

Did you make this?

We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram @therealfooddietitians

Rate recipe Tag us on Instagram

Pin now to make later!

Overhead view of a batch of Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies


This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians so credit is given where credit is due. Thank you!

660 shares
  • Share
  • Email
Stacie Hassing

Stacie Hassing

Stacie is a Licensed and Registered Dietitian from rural southern Minnesota where she, her husband and three children reside with their dog. She’s a co-founder of The Real Food RDs and content creator of simple and wholesome recipes. She loves all kinds of fitness and has a passion to inspire as many as she can live a healthier and happier life both in and out of the kitchen - the driving force behind the co-development of the The Real Food RDs brand.

Read more...
Previous Post
5 Easy Pork Marinades (includes how to cook)
Next Post
How to Choose Quality Red Meat

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

  1. AvatarJennifer Anderson says

    Posted on 7/23/20 at 9:57 am

    These look amazing and I want to make but don’t have the cassava flour. What can I substitute for that?

    Reply
    • Stacie HassingStacie Hassing says

      Posted on 7/23/20 at 6:26 pm

      Hi there! This recipe has not been tested with any other flour but my guess is that you could use a gluten-free baking flour like Bob’s red mill 1-to-1 or a regular all-purpose flour. Let us know if you give them a try with a different flour!

      Reply
  2. AvatarCJ says

    Posted on 6/7/21 at 10:43 am

    I see you stated that a regular all-purpose flour may work with these. Could I also use regular milk in substitute for the coconut milk?

    Reply
    • Jessica BeacomJessica Beacom says

      Posted on 6/7/21 at 7:52 pm

      Regular milk should work just fine.

      Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Meet the Dietitians

The Real Food Dietitians combines our love of nutrition, health, and real food with ease and convenience to bring you recipes that are big on flavor but short on ingredients.

jessica

Jessica Beacom

RDN
stacie

Stacie Hassing

RDN, LD
jessie

Jessie Shafer

RDN

Follow us

New!

6 Week Meal Plan

Includes Grocery Lists for Each Week

Features brand new recipes you won't find anywhere else!

Buy Now

Favorite Recipes

White filled with korean inspired ground beef with rice and veggies.

36 Healthy Ground Beef Recipes

Serving of healthy blueberry baked oatmeal in stone shallow bowl, topped with yogurt and fresh blueberries.

Healthy Blueberry Baked Oatmeal (Gluten-free)

Overhead view cast iron skillet filled with chicken curry with chickpeas, cauliflower and spinach.

Chicken and Chickpea Curry (Easy Weeknight Meal)

Overhead view white bowl filled with egg roll in a bowl recipe, chop sticks resting on edge of bowl

Egg Roll In A Bowl (Healthy and Easy)

Overhead view baked ziti with Parmesan cheese on top served in stone bowl

5-Ingredient Baked Ziti (Gluten Free Option)

More Delicious

Blog

Overhead view of a plate of Air Fryer Chicken Tenders with a side of honey mustard.

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

Overhead view of scrambled eggs in a cast iron skillet with diced ham added to the top

16 Healthy High-Protein Breakfast Ideas

Overhead view of a colorful skillet of Chicken Stir Fry topped with sesame seeds.

Chicken Stir Fry

Four peanut butter baked granola bars with chocolate chips stacked on top of each other on a white plate

Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Browse All
Subscribe

Get 30-Minute Dinner Recipesl sent to your inbox!

Loading

As Seen In

Country Living
Well Good
Greatist
womens day
clean eating
better homes gardens
  • Recipes
    • Breakfasts
    • Dinners
    • Desserts
    • Healthy Snacks
    • Drinks
  • Meal Prep
    • Free Meal Plans
    • Favorite Products
    • Meal Prep Recipes
    • Online Meal Planner
  • Wellness
    • New? Start Here
    • Real Food 101
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Wellness

Follow us on social

Ask The Dietitians

About Us

Work With Us

Privacy Policy

Terms

Accessibility

Contact

© 2025 The Real Food Dietitians
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
660 shares